Live from QE, sailing 18th Jan.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, lissie said:

I'm curious as to the terror of being off-loaded overseas?

Cost of isolation in a foreign hotel and flights home that might not be fully covered by insurance. If partner is negative has to decide either to carry on with cruise on own or self disembarking and finding different hotel than isolation hotel partner is in and their flight costs home none of this for person who is negative Covid is recoverable by insurance. Then spending possibly 10 days in foreign country while partners hopefully recovers from Covid.

[lissie]

3 hours ago, Jimmys Chippy said:

We’ve done two cruises now post covid and we chose Southampton departures for both as we agreed that a positive test pre departure would be disappointing but we could just drive home and sit it out in time we’d have been off work anyway. A positive test on board is a different kettle of fish and could see you confined to cabin (maybe on your own) or left abroad with no definite date for a return. It’s why I think that many passengers with mild symptoms are more likely to keep it under their hat and try to “normal” it out.

But how could they -  the medical centre will know the result of the test...  

[lissie]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Cost of isolation in a foreign hotel and flights home that might not be fully covered by insurance. If partner is negative has to decide either to carry on with cruise on own or self disembarking and finding different hotel than isolation hotel partner is in and their flight costs home none of this for person who is negative Covid is recoverable by insurance. Then spending possibly 10 days in foreign country while partners hopefully recovers from Covid.

I think its a fair point that if you're going to lose your job if you are 10 days late back.  Luckily I run my own business from a laptop - so long as the hotel as wifi or cellular I'm good. 

 

I must admit I'd assumed that anyone who can afford to cruise Cunard   also has an emergency fund/credit card to deal with unexpected expenses.  Even when I  was a broke backpacker I had an Amex card for exactly that reason. 

 

From someone who has effectively been shut in my own country for nearly 2 years - 10 days in a foreign country - ANY country sounds superb to me! 

[Megabear2]

12 minutes ago, lissie said:

I think its a fair point that if you're going to lose your job if you are 10 days late back.  Luckily I run my own business from a laptop - so long as the hotel as wifi or cellular I'm good. 

 

I must admit I'd assumed that anyone who can afford to cruise Cunard   also has an emergency fund/credit card to deal with unexpected expenses.  Even when I  was a broke backpacker I had an Amex card for exactly that reason. 

 

From someone who has effectively been shut in my own country for nearly 2 years - 10 days in a foreign country - ANY country sounds superb to me! 

Being locked in a basic Spanish quarantine hotel with no opening windows with dodgy food and a guard outside your door for 10 days might not be so good though!

[lissie]

2 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Being locked in a basic Spanish quarantine hotel with no opening windows with dodgy food and a guard outside your door for 10 days might not be so good though!

Well it would be rather similar to what happens in NZ at the moment - if you can get a booking. Frankly it would have more options than being in the same situation on a ship - far more options - I'm sure Spain has an uber eats equivalent 

[Megabear2]

1 minute ago, lissie said:

Well it would be rather similar to what happens in NZ at the moment - if you can get a booking. Frankly it would have more options than being in the same situation on a ship - far more options - I'm sure Spain has an uber eats equivalent 

You dont have to book these, they're allocated so no shortages.  Apparently those in Spanish quarantine aren't allowed to order food in.  From some of the pictures of the food served it looks a great way to go on a crash diet after all that luxurious Cunard food.

[Dermotsgirl]

7 hours ago, lissie said:

But how could they -  the medical centre will know the result of the test...  

Not if you take your own testing kits on board. Lateral flow tests are provided free by the U.K. Government, and it is normal these days for people to test themselves 2 or 3 times a week to monitor their health 

[barriedavis]

1 hour ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Not if you take your own testing kits on board. Lateral flow tests are provided free by the U.K. Government, and it is normal these days for people to test themselves 2 or 3 times a week to monitor their health 

Agreed.  We took a batch of tests so that we would know of our covid status before any official testing by the ship.  

[lissie]

1 hour ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Not if you take your own testing kits on board. Lateral flow tests are provided free by the U.K. Government, and it is normal these days for people to test themselves 2 or 3 times a week to monitor their health 

Oh interesting - in NZ you have to have them done by a pharmacy or dr - and only then for a very specific reason (flying domestically while not vaccinated).  I think some large employers may have them too.  Though I'm still at a loss why you'd test if you didn't intend to do anything about a positive diagnosis- ie isolate. 

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Not if you take your own testing kits on board. Lateral flow tests are provided free by the U.K. Government, and it is normal these days for people to test themselves 2 or 3 times a week to monitor their health 

Maybe normal for some,  but I have had one PCR test and no LFTs since March '20. 

[barriedavis]

27 minutes ago, lissie said:

Oh interesting - in NZ you have to have them done by a pharmacy or dr - and only then for a very specific reason (flying domestically while not vaccinated).  I think some large employers may have them too.  Though I'm still at a loss why you'd test if you didn't intend to do anything about a positive diagnosis- ie isolate. 

I don't think anyone is suggesting that they will not isolate if they self-test positive.  There is a big difference between being tested by the ship, shocked to be found to be found positive and offloaded for 10 days in a basic Spanish hotel before finding your own way home and the alternative self-test, keep quiet but isolate on board.  After all, that's what would happen if found to be positive after the ship has its last port and on the way home.  Not saying that's right, just saying why it's understandable.

[majortom10]

10 hours ago, lissie said:

 

 

From someone who has effectively been shut in my own country for nearly 2 years - 10 days in a foreign country - ANY country sounds superb to me! 

Wouldnt be "super" if you were stuck in a poor hotel with crap food and stuck in your room for 10 days at cost of thousands with no guarantee of claiming it all or any from insurance. Plus the extra cost of hotel/food for partner who wont be in same hotel and definitely wont be able to claim that back of insurance. Being stuck in your own country is far superior than being stuck in same room of poor hotel with poor food which has been widely reported in Spain as happening.

[majortom10]

10 hours ago, lissie said:

Well it would be rather similar to what happens in NZ at the moment - if you can get a booking. Frankly it would have more options than being in the same situation on a ship - far more options - I'm sure Spain has an uber eats equivalent 

I think it would be thousands times better than staying in your own house and be able to feed yourself decent food in better accomodation.

[majortom10]

10 hours ago, lissie said:

 I'm sure Spain has an uber eats equivalent 

I dont think you understand what being isolated really means. You are taken to a hotel not of your choice but the government usually poor quality and poor food at a high cost and food is given to you by the hotel and left outside your door because of the risk of covid and the fact you are in isolation with no contact with nobody. You will not be allowed to phone up local Chinese/pizza and request a delivery. All you get is provided by the hotel with no physical contact with nobody for 10 days.

[LadyL1]

The latter comments/postings should be a separate thread. The arguments now being submitted are nothing to do with the original thread start!

[barriedavis]

OK, back to original thread, does anyone who did this sailing have a copy of the 'End of Voyage Captain's Log' they could scan and send me please - I stupidly left mine in the cabin.  The missed port (Gibraltar) triggers a clause in my (and possibly others) travel insurance for a payment.  Many thanks in advance.